Bishops around the globe must fully cooperate with a Vatican commission created to protect children from sexual abuse by clerics, Pope Francis demanded in a letter dated Feb. 2, Reuters reported.

The head of the world's more than 1.2 billion Catholics ordered Church leaders to give the issue top priority, even if it unearths new scandals, the news service noted. Francis' letter came a day before the commission, which he established last year, was set to hold its first full meeting.

"Everything possible must be done to rid the Church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused," the pontiff wrote. "Families need to know that the Church is making every effort to protect their children. They should also know that they have every right to turn to the Church with full confidence, for it is a safe and secure home."

The pope's letter was addressed to bishops' conferences and to the superiors of religious orders, the Catholic news service Crux noted. In the 700-word missive, Francis also detailed his first -- and so far only -- meeting with sex-abuse survivors that took place last July in the Vatican.

"I commit myself not to tolerate harm done to a minor by any individual, whether a cleric or not," he had said in his homily as he celebrated a Mass attended by a handful of victims.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is composed of 17 members from all over the world, the Catholic News Agency detailed. The body is headed by Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley. Its experts, which include both clergy and laymen, hail from Colombia, England, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, the United States and Zambia.

Marie Collins of Ireland -- herself a victim of sexual abuse -- told Reuters that the pope responded to a request from commission members; Collins and her peers were attempting to thwart any resistance from bishops to its work, she noted.